without a more particular application to the persons under our charge. Interest and self-love will blind the eyes, and stop the ears of men, and make them shift off from themselves those admonitions from the pulpit that are displeasing: and therefore we are commanded not only to teach and exhort, but also to rebuke with all authority. Now, those whom we are to rebuke, are either persons of a different persuasion, who dissent from our religion, or withdraw from our ordinances; and these must be dealt with very patiently, and with much long suffering. It is not to be expected, that an hasty conference, or an abrupt disputation, should prevail with those who have been long habituated to false persuasions, and, perhaps, have drunk them in with the first of their serious thoughts, and religious inclinations. We must first study to combat the perverseness of their will, the prejudices of the world, the desire of victory and applause, their pre-engagement in a party, and their shame and unwillingness to yield; and strive to render them meek and pliable, and sincerely desirous to know the truth. When we have obtained this, they will be both more easily convinced, and more inexcusable, if through weakness they still continue in their errors. But let us never rest in having drawn over a person to our party, till we have engaged him to seriousness in the practice of religion; for if he continue a stranger to that, it is little matter whether he be Protestant or Papist, Pagan or Mahometan, or any thing else in the world: nay, the better his religion is, the more dreadful will his condemnation be. It was an excellent saying of an eminent and holy person yet alive in our church, "That he would rather be instrumental in persuading one man to be serious in religion, than the whole nation to be conformists." The other sort of persons we have to rebuke, are those of our own religion, for the vices and failings of their lives. And this must be done with a great deal of courage and zeal-of prudence and discretion-of meekness and love. More knowing and ingenious persons may be dealt with sometimes by secret insinuations, and oblique reflections on the vices they are guilty

of; and we may sometimes seek a way to reprove their failings, by regretting and condemning our own. But that artifice is not necessary with the vulgar: having professed our love and good intentions, it will be best to fall roundly to the matter. Now this does suppose a great deal of care, to acquaint ourselves with the humours and conversation of our people; and the name of watchmen that is given us, implieth no less. And though the lamentable vastness of some of our charges make it impossible to do all that we could wish, yet must we not fail to do all that we can. It is an excellent practice of some I have the happiness to be acquainted with, who seldom miss any day wherein they do not apply themselves to some or other of their people, and treat about the affairs of their souls.

Another thing which may be implied in rebuking with all authority, is, the conscientious exercise of that authority which Christ hath given us in the public censures and rebukes of the church. But of this I shall say no more, save only that it were an intolerable presump tion, and horrid sacrilege, to make use of these to serve the ends of our passion and private revenge.

The last clause of the passage we cited, sounds somewhat strange: Let no man despise thee. Sure nobody desires to be despised; and it is not always in the power of man to hinder it. But the meaning of the words is, that there should be nothing in our carriage and deportment which may deserve contempt. We ought still to have that apology of the orator in readiness: Quid putem? contemptumne me? Equidem non video quid sit in vita moribusque nostris quod despicere possit. There is nothing that doth expose a minister to so much contempt, as a vicious and irreligious deportment. Even those who are profane themselves, and love vice in their other companions, do yet abhor it in a clergyman, as thinking it too gross and disingenuous, to practise all the week what he hath been condemning on Sunday. I shall not insist upon the grosser sort of vices. Nolo tam male ominari de ecclesia: I would not bode so much evil to the church, as to imagine the clergy capa

ble of them. I shall point but to a few things, which, though less heinous in their nature, tend to the contempt and disrespect of the clergy.

And first, the least imputation of covetousness doth a great deal of mischief this way. And you know it will be reckoned covetousness in you, which is not so in others. You will be more blamed for taking your own, than they for encroaching on their neighbours. And therefore, to prevent this imputation, so far as the meanness of a minister's provision, and necessity of his family, will permit, he should show himself frank and liberal in his dealings, especially with the poorer sort.

Another occasion of contempt is, the too much frequenting the company of the laicks, and a vain and trifling conversation among them. It was a wise saying, whoever he was that spoke it, Quotidiana clericorum cum laicis conversatio contemptibiles ipsos reddit. And that of Hierom to Nepotian is very observable, Facilc contemnitur clericus si ad prandium invitatus sæpius veniat. A minister, in his conversation, ought carefully to avoid all foolish and excessive jesting, and immoderate mirth. I could never think it a good character of a clergyman, to call him a merry fellow, or a notable droll; and yet I do not condemn all cheerfulness and freedom, nor the innocent exercise of wit: but it is one thing to make use of these now and then, when they come in our way-and another, to search and hunt after them; and those who have the knack of it, are ready enough to fall into excess.

A third thing which will bring a clergyman into contempt, is, an unallowable patience in hearing his master dishonoured by the oaths and profane talk of those of whom he standeth in awe. My brethren, if we had no more but the common principles of ingenuity and honour, they might make us resent these as greater affronts than if men should spit in our faces: and yet this is but one of the meanest engagements that lie upon us, to check these exhorbitances with the greatest severity.

I shall name but another, and it is this: when men, on design to avoid this contempt, would seem to dis

claim their employment, by imitating the habit and deportment of secular persons; when they study the gentleman so much, that they forget the clergyman. If we be ashamed of our own employment, no wonder if others despise it. Far different were the thoughts of that worthy gentleman, and excellent minister, whom I named before, that sweet singer of Israel, Mr. Herbert, who, the same night that he was admitted into the office of the ministry, said to his friend, "I now look back on my aspiring thoughts, and I think myself more happy, than if I had obtained what I so ambitiously thirsted for. And I can now behold the court with an impartial eye, and see plainly, that it is made up of fraud, and titles, and flattery, and many such other imaginary painted pleasures. My greatest ambition from henceforth shall be, that I bring glory to my Jesus, whom I have this day taken to be my master and governor; and am so proud of his service, that I will always observe and obey, and do his will, and always call him Jesus my master. I will always contemn my birth, and any title or dignity that can be conferred upon me, when I shall compare them with the title of being a Priest, and serving at the altar of Jesus my master.

I am afraid I have encroached too far on your patience. I shall close all with a serious obtestation of our great apostle to Timothy; which you may believe I durst not utter in my own name, but in the name of the great master of us all: I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom: preach the word, be instant in season, and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. And the Lord of his mercy, so assist and prosper us all in his own work, that we may be the happy instruments of advancing his kingdom, and the welfare of souls, through Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom, &c.

A

SERMON

PREACHED AT THE FUNERAL

OF THE

REV. HENRY SCOUGAL, A.M.

BY GEORGE GAIRDEN, D.D.

PHIL. I. 21.

For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Ir hath been the usual practice of all nations in the world, of whatsoever religion, sect, or persuasion, to leave upon record to after ages, the lives and memorable actions of those who have been eminent among them for great or good actions. And however this practice may have been abused, sometimes to serve the interest of a sect or party, or other undue ends; yet that the memory of good men ought thus to be transmitted to posterity, may be deduced both from Scripture and common reason; it being fit thus to manifest the grace and goodness of God in men, and thereby to advance his glory and kingdom; and to make their light so shine before others, that they may be useful instructions to the world, and incentives to follow their examples. To this we owe the remembrance of all those good and great men recorded in the Old Testament: nay, on this is grounded the establishment and purity of our most holy religion. We have left us the memorials of the life and